Honey Bees For SaleA Few Points To Consider Before You Buy

If you are starting beekeeping, no doubt you will be looking out for
honey bees for sale. But how should you make your choice?

Firstly,
if you are establishing a colony, you will probably purchase a nucleus
colony or a ‘nuc’. A nuc consists of a queen, brood, and workers in
four or more frames.

Alternatively you may purchase package bees, which will consist of workers and a newly mated queen, and food.

Before purchasing, here are a few considerations:

- The bees should of course be disease free.

- Where do they
come from – which race/sub-species of honey bee are they? Some
suppliers import queens from overseas, but some beekeepers prefer to
purchase queens reared in their own country to minimise the risk of
bringing in new strains of virus or disease. Ask the supplier for
details.

- Temperament - if this is your first time beekeeping, and you are nervous, then you may prefer to choose ‘mild mannered’ bees.

Note there are additional circumstances when you may wish to purchase honey bees, such as the replacement of winter losses.

More considerations.....

TimingNote that if you wish to buy bees, you may have to
order in advance so that you don’t miss out. Ensure you have everything
set up to and ready for your bees before you receive them. Also,
have a good supply of food for the bees, until they settle and begin
their normal foraging.

Take a look at my lists of
bee plants
to ensure you have a good range of nectar and pollen available in your
garden for the bees throughout the seasons. If you live in an urban
area, there may be plenty of flowering plants in the vicinity, from
gardens and public planting schemes.

SwarmsWhat if you are offered a swarm? If you are a
newcomer to beekeeping, you may want to get help from another beekeeper
to settle in the swarm into your hive.

Where Else Can I get Honey Bees?- Make contacts with your local beekeeping association, who may be alerted to the locations of swarms that need to be moved.

-
Contact your local council, and let them know you are wanting a swarm.
If a member of the public asks to have a swarm removed, they can then
contact you.

- Contact a local pest control company, as they may be happy to pass on swarms to you. However,
remember they are wanting to earn a living. Offer to help free of
charge in exchange for them allowing you to have the swarm. Remember
they don't have to share their contacts with you, so don't expect
payment.

For further information, go from Honey Bees For Sale and check out these following links (each opens a new window):

How To Start Beekeeping
Go from Honey Bees For Sale to main beekeeping section of this site. Includes links to free bee hive plan downloads, beekeeping videos and free beekeeping information. You can also download a free book: Emile Warré's 'Beekeeping For All'.